Multiple interpretations of one of the example sentence?

Chris B.C1Kwiziq community member

Multiple interpretations of one of the example sentence?

The example sentence:

"En esta tienda pueden comprarse unas joyas muy bonitas."

The translation is given is 

"You can buy very nice jewels in this shop."

However could it also be translated as:

"They can buy themselves some very nice jewels in this shop." 

if we interpret the se as being an indirect object rather than passive?

Asked 1 year ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hola Chris

Yes, you're right. That is another possible translation if we consider the "se" as a a reflexive pronoun (used for emphasis), so it is the verb used in active (not passive) with a reflexive pronoun. It could be with subject "they" or subject "ustedes" (formal):

En esta tienda ustedes pueden comprarse unas joyas muy bonitas.

En esta tienda ellos/ellas pueden comprarse unas joyas muy bonitas.

This use of se is called se aspectual.

Saludos cordiales

Inma

Multiple interpretations of one of the example sentence?

The example sentence:

"En esta tienda pueden comprarse unas joyas muy bonitas."

The translation is given is 

"You can buy very nice jewels in this shop."

However could it also be translated as:

"They can buy themselves some very nice jewels in this shop." 

if we interpret the se as being an indirect object rather than passive?

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